diff --git a/artiq/test/novatech409b.py b/artiq/test/novatech409b.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..165b81fad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/artiq/test/novatech409b.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import unittest
+import os
+
+from artiq.devices.novatech409b.driver import Novatech409B
+
+
+novatech409b_device = os.getenv("NOVATECH409B_DEVICE")
+
+
+class GenericNovatech409BTest:
+    def test_parameters_readback(self):
+        # write sample data and read it back
+        for i in range(4):
+            self.driver.set_freq(i, 1e6)
+            self.driver.set_phase(i, 0.5)
+            self.driver.set_gain(i, 0.25)
+        result = self.driver.get_status()
+
+        # check for expected status message; ignore all but first 23 bytes
+        # compare with previous result extracted from Novatech
+        for i in range(4):
+            r = result[i]
+            self.assertEqual(r[0:23], "00989680 2000 01F5 0000")
+
+
+@unittest.skipUnless(novatech409b_device, "no hardware")
+class TestNovatech409B(GenericNovatech409BTest, unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.driver = Novatech409B(novatech409b_device)
+
+
+class TestNovatech409BSim(GenericNovatech409BTest, unittest.TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.driver = Novatech409B(None)